President Donald Trump has approved the execution of Fort Hood mass killer Nidal Hasan by a U.S. Army firing squad, the Pentagon announced Monday.
Hasan, a former Army psychiatrist, killed 13 people and injured 32 others in a 2009 shooting spree. He was sentenced to death in 2013 and would be the first person executed by the U.S. military via court-martial since 1961.
Trump Approves Firing Squad Execution for Fort Hood Killer Nidal Hasan
By CNBC Staff
The Pentagon announced Monday evening that President Donald Trump has greenlit a recommendation from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to execute convicted Fort Hood mass killer Nidal Hasan by a U.S. Army firing squad.
This decision marks a significant development in the case of Hasan, a former Army psychiatrist who murdered 13 people and injured 32 others in a 2009 shooting spree at the Texas Army base. Hasan was sentenced to death following a 2013 court-martial.
Hasan would be the first individual executed by the U.S. armed forces following a court-martial since 1961, when Army Pvt. John Bennett was hanged for his crimes. The execution follows the Supreme Court's denial of Hasan's appeal in March 2025, which paved the way for the presidential approval.
In September 2025, Secretary Hegseth expressed his commitment to carrying out the death penalty, stating, "This savage terrorist deserves the harshest lawful punishment for his 2009 mass shooting at Fort Hood. The victims and survivors deserve justice without delays."
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed the decision on X, stating, "Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has recommended — and President Donald J. Trump has approved — death by U.S. Army firing squad for convicted terrorist Nidal Malik Hasan, the jihadist who opened fire on unarmed American soldiers at Fort Hood in 2009." Parnell added, "He killed 13 people and wounded 32 others while shouting 'Allahu Akbar' during the attack."
The Pentagon spokesman further stated that the Secretary of the Army will determine the specific time and place for the execution, concluding, "Judgement day for Hasan has finally come." Secretary Hegseth retweeted Parnell's post, adding the simple affirmation, "Justice."
Hasan is currently one of only four individuals on death row resulting from a U.S. military court-martial, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.
